Manned ATMs may soon be passe at State Bank of India (SBI). SBI and subsidiaries, with more than 27,000 ATMs all over the country, are readying to move its ATM security to electronic surveillance.

“We have floated tenders for comprehensive electronic surveillance of ATM installations as early as February 2014. In fact, we expect to put the act together in about six months,” SBI chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya told FE on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of State Bank of Travancore here.

Cost-effective electronic surveillance would not mean just the hidden cameras at ATMs, but also an electronic lockroom that can remote-monitor the ATMs round the clock.

The bank has realised that electronic surveillance might be more cost-optimising than having day and night guards at its ATMs.